Lora Theresa (Racicot) Brueck

Lora Theresa (Racicot) Brueck passed away on Sunday, June 8, 2025, in Worcester, MA, after nearly a decade of navigating cancer with remarkable strength, stoicism, and resilience.

Raised in the Webster and Dudley area, Lora’s early years nurtured her creative spirit and a deep appreciation for the world around her.

She was a creative force whose artistry touched every part of her life. She lovingly restored two 1920s-era homes in Worcester and filled her gardens with vegetables, fruit, and bright blooms. She cherished her second home of nearly 15 years in South County, Rhode Island, where she found peace near the ocean. She welcomed countless rescue cats into her home and heart, and her creativity took shape in photography, knitting intricate and colorful sweaters, and crafting unique mixed media art books. Lora also enjoyed walking, beachcombing, and water aerobics at the Central Branch YMCA in downtown Worcester.

With a lifelong passion for learning, Lora studied at UMass Amherst and Spalding University and attended numerous classes at the Worcester Art Museum and Worcester Center for Crafts.

She and her husband Don shared a love for live music, especially their annual trips to the New Orleans Jazz Festival.

Lora worked at Worcester Polytechnic Institute for over 40 years, where she served as a librarian and became the first official archivist at Gordon Library. Her meticulous nature and love of history helped preserve WPI’s legacy.

She also gave back generously to her community, volunteering with ArtsWorcester, AIDS Project Worcester, and the Worcester History Museum, and was one of the founding organizers of the stART on the Street arts festival.

She is survived by her daughter, Sarah Brueck Williams, and son-in-law, Michael Williams, of Charlton, MA; her beloved grandson, Ethan Stallings, of Worcester; her brother, Richard Racicot, and his wife, Elise, of Sedona, AZ. She was predeceased by her husband of 56 years, Donald F. Brueck, Jr. who passed in 2021. June 7 was their 56th wedding anniversary.

Lora’s family extends heartfelt thanks to the Oncology, Radiology, and Palliative teams at Dana-Farber Milford, as well as the compassionate staff at Palliative Personal Care and the Briarwood Community in Worcester, whose care helped her live with strength and grace at the end of her life. 

A memorial service will be held on Thursday, June 19, from 4 to 6 p.m. at Rice Funeral Home, 300 Park Ave, Worcester.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her name to ArtsWorcester (artsworcester.org), supporting the creative community she cherished.